Ex-Alabama player pleads guilty to fraud by impersonating Michael Penix Jr., other NFL players

A former University of Alabama football player has pleaded guilty to defrauding investors of millions of dollars in part by putting on makeup and wigs to impersonate Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and other NFL players.

Luther Davis, 37, entered guilty pleas in federal court in Atlanta to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft on Monday. CJ Evins, 29, who was accused of executing the scheme with Davis, also pleaded guilty to the two charges.

Both men left the court without commenting. U.S. District Judge Steven Grimberg scheduled sentencing for Davis in October and Evins in August.

The men each face up to seven years in prison, though prosecutors agreed to recommend a lower sentence as part of plea deals.

Prosecutors say Davis and Evins used the identities of three NFL players and false documents to apply for loans. While players are only identified in the document as "D.N.," "X.M.," and "M.P." in the court documents, The Guardian, which first reported the story, identified the players as Penix, former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, and Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney.

Davis wore disguises on multiple video calls with investors in 2024, pretending to be three different NFL players. He wore makeup and a wig once, a wig a second time, and a durag-style head covering on a third call while impersonating Penix, prosecutors said.

None of the NFL players had authorized Davis and Evins to obtain loans. In addition to wearing disguises, prosecutors say Davis used fake driver's licenses with photos of the players that could be found online.

The scheme brought in nearly $20 million from numerous fraudulent loans that Davis and Evins used in part to buy real estate, jewelry, and cars, according to the criminal complaint.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.